What do you remember most about your childhood birthday celebrations? Was it the people who celebrated with you? How about the venues that hosted your parties? For our family, we like to make memories with food.
PanCAKEs for Breakfast: Our breakfast ritual is such that the birthday kiddo gets a special pancake in the shape of their age. We make it extra exciting with sprinkles mixed into the batter and fun toppings to add color.
Obscure Dining Adventures: A meal at a quirky restaurant tends to be a big hit for the adults in our family. Each year we try to find unique dining experiences with unforgettable ambiances. Here are just a few of the most eccentric family-friendly restaurants we've found:
- Dine in a train car at Game Train USA in Highlands Ranch.
- Eat your meal in an actual airplane at The Airplane Restaurant in Colorado Springs.
- Enjoy cliff divers and a tour of Black Bart's Cave at Casa Bonita in Lakewood.
- Watch a mermaid show at the Downtown Aquarium Restaurant in Denver.
- Try Willy Wonka-inspired treats at The Inventing Room in Denver.
- Explore the Wild West (Italian style!) at Fargo's Pizza in Colorado Springs.
Unconventional Cakes: When my husband first admitted that he wasn't a fan of traditional birthday cake, I didn't know how to react. Seriously, who doesn't like birthday cake?! This revelation ignited a flame in me to discover alternatives.
Over the years we've made substitutions with treats such as cookies, candies, ice creams, sodas, and donuts. The donuts shown below came from Mr. Donuts in Lone Tree.
Birthdays leave lasting impressions so make the most of these celebrations by starting your own family traditions. When in doubt, start with the food.
